See Ugo Gattoni's bike illustrations for the Museum of London

The Museum of London's new London Cycles display features 10 brand new portraits by artist Ugo Gattoni.

By
Ashleigh Allsopp
on July 10, 2013

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The Museum of London's new London Cycles display features 10 brand new portraits by artist Ugo Gattoni.

The 10 new large-scale portraits have been illustrated in the surrealist style Ugo is renowned for, and depict different cycle style tribes on the road.

"As an artist with a strong connection to London – and a cycling obsessive myself – I was instantly drawn to working with the Museum of London on London Cycles," says Ugo. "My illustrations are all about picking out surprising and hidden details in the world around me and incorporating them into my personal, imaginary world."

"For me, it was important to be inspired by real London cyclists on the road," Ugo explains. "From the eccentric tweed-clad gentlemen to the courier racing through the city and the Dutch bike enthusiast cycling through London Fields, there are so many diverse cycle styles running riot through the city. My portraits seek to capture a cross-section of these."

"I hope visitors coming along to see the display will identify with one of these portraits and see part of themselves reflected in these," he adds.

Last year, Ugo created Bicycle, a book based on the 2012 London Olympics for Nobrow Press, and his work was recently featured in the Pick Me Up 2013 exhibition at Somerset House.

The London Cycles display is free, and will run until 22 September at the Museum of London.

In this article are Gattoni's bike illustrations for the Museum of London. Use the slideshow controls above and right to see them.

Step 1

The Museum of London's new London Cycles display features 10 brand new portraits by artist Ugo Gattoni.

The 10 new large-scale portraits have been illustrated in the surrealist style Ugo is renowned for, and depict different cycle style tribes on the road.

"As an artist with a strong connection to London – and a cycling obsessive myself – I was instantly drawn to working with the Museum of London on London Cycles," says Ugo. "My illustrations are all about picking out surprising and hidden details in the world around me and incorporating them into my personal, imaginary world."

"For me, it was important to be inspired by real London cyclists on the road," Ugo explains. "From the eccentric tweed-clad gentlemen to the courier racing through the city and the Dutch bike enthusiast cycling through London Fields, there are so many diverse cycle styles running riot through the city. My portraits seek to capture a cross-section of these."

"I hope visitors coming along to see the display will identify with one of these portraits and see part of themselves reflected in these," he adds.

Last year, Ugo created Bicycle, a book based on the 2012 London Olympics for Nobrow Press, and his work was recently featured in the Pick Me Up 2013 exhibition at Somerset House.

The London Cycles display is free, and will run until 22 September at the Museum of London.

In this article are Gattoni's bike illustrations for the Museum of London. Use the slideshow controls above and right to see them.